Russia sends occupiers on crutches to assault: BI explains reasons
Date: 2025-02-03 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: WAR
The Russian medical system is likely working at its limit, as soldiers on crutches are increasingly being spotted on the front lines, Business Insider reports, citing British intelligence.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, numerous sightings confirm that wounded Russian servicemen are returning to battle because the medical care system cannot cope with the load.
The intelligence report published on Sunday says: "It is very likely that wounded Russian servicemen are being returned to combat missions in Ukraine with non-healing wounds, often on crutches."
In particular, the 20th Combined Arms Army is mentioned, which, according to British intelligence, could form "assault groups" from wounded soldiers.
"There is a realistic possibility that Russian commanders are directing this activity to maintain personnel who would otherwise be lost in an overburdened medical system," the report says.
The UK MoD also cites Ukrainian estimates that 830,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded during the war, of whom around 400,000 require treatment outside the combat zone.
The report notes: "Wounded soldiers are likely to have been returned to their units after being discharged prematurely from forward medical facilities, as instructed by their commanders." This practice, according to the intelligence agency, "reduces the burden on the overburdened military medical system and improves the unit's ability to track and use wounded personnel for operational purposes."
The report also notes that the lack of adequate medical care in facilities located further from the front line necessitates a shift in administrative and medical burdens back to military units.
The British assessment of the situation emerged after videos were published on Ukrainian Telegram channels showing Russian soldiers on crutches in a forested area near Pokrovsk. In other videos, wounded soldiers complained about the conditions of their deployment.
In mid-January, Ukrainian sources released drone footage showing two soldiers on crutches in an open field near Pokrovsk. The drone dropped ammunition on them, which likely rendered them incapacitated.
However, it remains unknown what injuries these soldiers had sustained before the drone strike, or whether they were involved in combat or simply moving between positions.
